


Remembrance

by imustspeakmyheart



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-01
Updated: 2016-12-01
Packaged: 2018-09-03 15:37:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,880
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8719288
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/imustspeakmyheart/pseuds/imustspeakmyheart
Summary: Cassandra loves it when the Inquisitor reads her stories, but what the Inquisitor doesn't know is that it's because Anthony used to read to her when they were kids. One day the Inquisitor decides to ask why.





	

“The mighty beast finally fell after hours of battle.”

“No way!” Cassandra exclaimed after a deep intake of breath.

“And with one fell swoop the warrior chopped the dragon’s head clean off!” Her brother cleaved the air with his stretched arm to emphasize his words as Cassandra looked on with amazement.

When Anthony told stories he did so with his whole body. His hands could form the legs of crawling spiders while he imitated their skittering sounds. With his feet he would mimic the grand steps of giants or the advancing march of an army. Whatever he managed to come up with, his voice was never the sole tool of his craft. Cassandra’s eyes shone with excitement and she bounded her body up and down while she sat cross-legged on her bed. Dragons had always been her favourite.

“The proud knight wiped the blood off of his sword and took a deep breath. The fight had made him super tired! But he totally won because he was the strongest in all the land and he’d been training to be a dragon hunter all his life.”

Anthony puffed his chest up and moved an arm as if brandishing a sword. Clearly he pictured himself as the hero of this particular story he’d made up. Cassandra was used to this of course. Her brother had been sword fighting for a very long time, while she was always locked away from all the exciting things. Despite the giddiness she always felt after stories, she pouted.

“Can I be a dragon hunter too?”

The question took Anthony visibly by surprise and it hung between them for a time until he answered her. “You can be a warrior too Cassie, just like me. We’re going to be the strongest dragon hunters together.”

Cassandra gasped and nodded vigorously. Then she held out her pinky finger to her brother with a resolute stare that was comical on such a young girl. Anthony smiled at her warmly, taking in her determined posture.

“Promise?”

Without hesitation her little finger was immediately hooked with Anthony’s and even though he was smiling at her silly gesture his eyes told her he was also serious about this.

“I Promise Cassie. You and me, one day, just you wait”

\--

Cassandra had known from the very start that the way Andreth told stories was vastly different from Anthony. He was taciturn in general, did not like to put himself in the spotlight and suffered much through his public role as Inquisitor. But for her, and only her, he read out loud. Quietly at first, anxious of not living up to expectations he was sure she had. The grand motions and exaggerated voices Anthony liked to adorn his performances with were still absent and Cassandra had long resigned herself to never seeing the like ever again.

Andreth was careful when he read, like every word was a treasure in its own right. What he lacked in storytelling flair he made up with sincerity, genuine investment in the story and the little dry comments he liked to make on  the more ridiculous books Cassandra picked for him. Cassandra had lost count of the times Andreth had snorted, followed by a whispered “ah, shems” after a particularly silly paragraph.

At present Cassandra rested her head on Andreth’s shoulder while he read, the both of them sitting cuddled together on the couch in front of the fireplace. Often moments like these were the only ones where they could forget the chaos of the world around them and the weight that rested on their shoulders. The elf’s voice has lulled Cassandra into a peaceful state of mind, her eyes closed as the listened. The wood popping in the fire was the only other sound she could hear; Skyhold too was in repose.

“Cassandra.” He began suddenly, startling Cassandra into attention. She hadn’t noticed that he’d stopped reading a few moments ago. “Is it my voice? Why you like me reading to you. I’ve been told it’s quite soothing. Or is it something else?”  

Confused, Cassandra sat up and turned towards him. “What brought this on?”

“Just curious I suppose. You always get this disappointed look about you when we end up not having time for reading. Even though you try to hide it.” Andreth now closed the book after marking where he left off, and put it away. When he turned back Cassandra was looking at him pensively, as if she was trying to figure out his intentions. He reached out for one of her hands and laced their fingers together as he waited for her to say something.

Eventually she drew a breath, looking away into the fire.

“I’ve told you about Anthony.”

The mention of her brother had been about the last thing Andreth had expected and he gently stroked his thumb over Cassandra’s. She seemed to relax a slight fraction, body tense in a way that one had to know her well enough to notice it.

“After much prompting yes.” He said it with a  small smile, not wanting it to sound accusatory. “You don’t have to tell me anything that makes you uncomfortable. My curiosity be damned.”

Cassandra sighed and squeezed his hand.

“Now is as good a time as any. Maybe it’s time I talk about my brother to someone I trust.” She glanced at Andreth, her lips briefly pulling into a smile before her attention went back to the fire.

“Anthony was everything to me. 6 years my elder and my example in everything I aspired to be. He loved telling me stories about brave heroes vanquishing dragons and other such beasts. When he was away training I used to secretly practice with one of his spare swords, got me in trouble too when our uncle found out.” She grimaced at that, but continued. “Anthony always made me believe I could do anything, as long as I held true to my beliefs and chased my dreams until I reached them. He was such a romantic.”  

“I wonder who you got it from.” Andreth let go of Cassandra’s hand to run his fingers through her hair soothingly as she talked. Cassandra only scoffed at his comment.

“He was worse than me, if you can believe it. After his death my only consolation was fighting to get stronger to eventually be able to defeat people like the ones who took my brother away. I didn’t read for years.”

She fell into a contemplative silence. Andreth played with the braid that fell loosely on her shoulder, unfastened in its usual drape around her head.

“I-. I don’t think I ever stopped to mourn him. But when you read to me I can think about Anthony without the pain.”

“Do I remind you of him?”

This actually made Cassandra laugh, looking at Andreth with a disbelieving stare. “You? No, you could not be more different.” Intrigued, Andreth urged her to continue.

“Ah, Anthony was brave and heroic for one,” At Andreth’s pout she paused, smirked and patted his knee in consolation. “He was a people person, always the charmer. The kind of person to walk into a room and have everyone wrapped around his finger in a moment. But he never cared for such things, he was a fighter. I was going to join him some day, he promised me. Like I said; he made me believe I could do anything, not just be held in a gilded cage solely for my noble blood.”

“He sounds like a good man.”

Cassandra nodded solemnly. “He was.”

They sat quietly for a time, both occupied with their own thoughts. Andreth looked at Cassandra as her gaze was fixed on the fire that was slowly turning to embers. There was something soft about her, the light playing on her angular face and creating new shapes. He wondered what it must have been like for her to lose a sibling -her only one at that- in the way she had. He had to admit he hadn’t given it much thought before, always being busy with the Inquisition and with keeping up with his companions. Guilt started to gnaw at him.

Leaning in, Andreth reached his right hand to turn Cassandra’s face towards him. Ever so softly he kissed her lips, his hand cupping her cheek. When he pulled away right after, Cassandra tilted her head and opened her mouth to say something. Only he was faster.

“You can talk about your brother any time, if you wish to. It’s never too late to grieve.” Andreth then leaned in further, wrapping his arms around her. After a few hesitant moments Cassandra returned the embrace and pressed her face to his shoulder.

“Thank you.” She pressed a kiss to the nape of his neck. Andreth could feel her smile on his skin.

“Now, do you want me to finish this chapter, ma’arla?” He pulled away from their embrace as he asked the question. It was late and it would probably be best if they both went to sleep, but Andreth felt like Cassandra needed the small distraction before they retired for the night. Cassandra almost looked offended at the question.

“Of course! I must know if the knight will win the duel.” Her eyes lit up as they always did when she got excited about books.

“You’re delightful, have I told you that before?” Andreth couldn’t help but gushing. He scooted away a bit so he could reach where he had left the book on the far side of the sofa. When he straightened Cassandra sat there glaring at him through narrowed eyes, yet her blushing cheeks and soft smile told a different story. Ah, she still wasn’t quite used to his compliments even after weeks of them. Andreth grinned at her.

“Speechless I see.”

He shifted so he sat next to her again and quickly pecked one of her cheeks before leafing through the book to find the page he’d marked off before. Next to him Cassandra made herself comfortable again against his side, humming contentedly. After clearing his throat, he started reading again.

When Andreth finally finished the chapter the fire had died down and the only light came from the few candles in the room and the soft smolder of the embers in the fireplace. He placed the book on the sofa and gently shook Cassandra, who was leaning heavily onto his side, having fallen asleep sometime while he was reading. She mumbled a bit and blearily opened her eyes.

“Come on, let’s get you to bed.” Andreth tugged at her right arm, trying to get her to get up. As much as he’d like to carry her into his bed he was only a small elf after all. With much effort he managed to herd Cassandra to their bed where she immediately snuggled into the blankets and fell back asleep. Andreth took it upon himself to blow out all their candles before he crawled into bed behind her, wrapping his arms around her and nuzzling closer. As he felt himself drift into sleep he thought he could vaguely hear her mumbling to herself in her sleep.

“Anthony..I miss you.”

Andreth pulled her in tighter.

“I’ll read to you until you can remember him with happiness. I promise, ma’arla.”

**Author's Note:**

> I imagine in the first small part of the story Cassandra is 10 and Anthony is 16. It's unknown how much older Anthony is exactly so I just kinda guessed. 
> 
> Ma'arla means "my home"
> 
> Hope you enjoyed!!


End file.
